No More Dangling Maybes
by live2rite
Summary: When Felicity is feared dead, Oliver gives up completely. Olicity.


A.N. So this is my first foray into Arrow fanfic and my first piece of writing I've published for a few years. Hope you guys like it. Set somewhere in season 3 but can't really pin down exactly where ...

From Rite Rose Publishing.

No More Dangling Maybes

In the end, all it had taken was a moment. A single moment where he thought she was gone for him to realise what she really meant to him. He knew he loved her. He'd known that for a while now but when he had seen the bullets hit her and she crumpled to the ground there was a strangled cry that echoed through the foundry that he didn't realise had come from him. He fell to his knees as Malcolm Merlyn and Thea emerged from the top of the stairs.

"Felicity …" He whispered with a choked sob.

"You said you wouldn't hurt them." Thea hissed. Oliver didn't notice that look of impatience Merlyn shot Thea.

"He needed a push to fight me." He shrugged. "Now he has one."

"Why fight him?" Thea asked.

"Because there's only room for one archer in this city." He growled. "Oliver Queen! I challenge you to a fight to the death for my city!" Oliver didn't answer. He continued to stare at the body of the woman he loved. "Queen! Answer me!"

Still he continued to be silent.

Thea walked down the stairs and towards him. "Ollie?"

He looked up at his sister and she stopped at what she saw in his face. He was not crying, didn't look heartbroken or lost, he didn't look sad or even angry. In fact she saw no emotion in his face at all. Like he wasn't even there. This was worse than what her mother had described when she had first seen him again after the island. She looked over to the blonde lay near the bank of computers and finally realised that she must have meant more to him than either she or Malcolm had thought. She dropped to her knees a few feet from her brother and threw her bow to the side.

"Thea?" Malcolm said she a warning tone in her voice. "What're you doing?"

"I can't be a part of your plans anymore." She told him fiercely. "It's one thing to say you want to drive the Arrow from the city. It's another thing to kill that girl for no reason and to kill my brother."

"Need I remind you that he is responsible for Tommy's death?"

"I can't believe you can say that! Who built the machine? Who organised the Undertaking?"

"You'll regret turning from me?" he warned.

"Probably." She agreed. "but I won't regret standing with my brother."

"Enough!" Merlyn yelled. "I'll deal with you later." He quickly shot an arrow that tased Thea into unconsciousness. "Queen, you and I will finish this!"

"There's nothing to finish Merlyn." Oliver replied in a dead tone. "You've won. Take what you want from me because you've already taken the only thing I care about."

"No! You must fight!"

"I have nothing to fight for."

Merlyn screamed in rage and Felicity groaned from where she lay. They both turned to her in surprise and saw her move.

"Ow" She cried in pain. Quick as a flash Oliver was crouched next to her, tears threatening to fall. "Oliver?"

"Felicity." He almost laughed in relief. "You're ok? How're … how … how're you ok?" he unzipped her jacket, looking for her wound, only to find a bullet proof vest underneath. "Why are you wearing …?" he asked, confused.

"Dig." Felicity coughed. She raised her hand up to cup Oliver's face. "He asked me to wear it because he'd seen Merlyn using a gun today." Oliver wrapped his arms around her and crushed her body to his.

"I can't lose you, Felicity."

"How sweet." Came the mocking voice of Merlyn. "It seems you do have something to lose after all." He pulled an arrow back in his bow and aimed it at him and Felicity. Oliver quickly moved in front of her and felt her grip his shoulder.

"Oliver." She warned. He heard the caution in her voice. "Please …" she whispered.

"Look after Thea." He told her as they slowly stood.

"I'm not leaving you." Felicity gripped his shoulder tighter and his heart swelled to hear her say that.

"Oh True Love." Merlyn mocked. "I bet that vest wouldn't stop an arrow through those lovely blue eyes though Oliver." He loosed the arrow and Oliver caught it was it almost flew over his shoulder.

"I swear Merlyn, if you send another arrow in her direction …"

"You'll what?" He laughed, "Shoot me?"

"No I will." Said a voice behind Merlyn. "Without him noticing, Roy and Diggle had entered the foundry and both had their weapons trained on Merlyn.

"Three against one, Oliver?" He tutted, "That's not very sporting."

"Neither is using my little sister." Oliver said. He moved to get his bow from the case, keeping Felicity behind him. As he lifted the bow, Merlyn moved quickly, disarming Diggle and jumping lightly to the floor with Roy's arrow narrowly missing him. Oliver knocked Felicity to Thea and Felicity pulled her behind the desk with her as Oliver and Merlyn started to fight. They both abandoned their bows and picked up knives. They started a furious hand to hand fight. It was only when Oliver had to get in the way of the knife that Merlyn threw at Felicity that Oliver was hurt. He fell to one knew and pulled the knife from his shoulder.

"I don't get it." Merlyn said. "I mean, what is it about _her_?" he asked as he stood with is knife to Oliver's throat. "You took Laurel away from _my_ son and then decide you didn't want her but would have an IT girl instead?"

"You would never understand why, Felicity isn't scarred like us. She see's the real me." Oliver said calmly. "She's worth more than any other person I've ever met."

"Well she's about to see the 'real you' bleed out right here in your pathetic hide out. And then maybe I'll move onto her and finish the job." Before anyone could move, Oliver had stabbed Merlyn in the chest in one smooth motion and yanked the knife he held away from his throat. Merlyn stared at Oliver in shock.

"You will _never_ touch her." He growled. Merlyn fell to the floor and gasped a few breaths before falling silent. Oliver turned towards Felicity and took a step in her direction, she moved to meet him and had to catch him as he stumbled. "Are you ok?" he asked, taking her face in his hands.

She smiled at him. "I should be asking you that."

"I'm so sorry." He continued, "I'm sorry."

"For what?" Felicity frowned.

"For dangling maybe's." He whispered. "I don't want us to be a maybe."

"Then say it." She whispered back.

"I love you Felicity." He confessed. "Is there any room in your life for a broken vigilante/ex-billionaire with family issues?"

Felicity reach up her right hand and gently stroked her thumb along his cheek. "No." she shook her head and Oliver's face fell. "But there's room for a hero, _my_ hero." She smiled. "My hero _with_ family issues." She clarified. Oliver laughed with relief and crushed her lips to his in a desperate yet gentle kiss. They broke apart to laughter and clapping coming from Roy and Diggle.

"It's about time!" Dig exclaimed.

"I know, man, the tension 'round here has been running high with you two."

Oliver felt a hand on his shoulder and turned his head to see Thea stood next to him. "I'm sorry Oliver."

He pulled his sister into a one armed hug, not letting go of Felicity as he let Thea cry onto his shoulder. "It's my fault Thea. I should have been honest with your about who I was a long time ago."

"We'll be ok, won't we?" Thea asked.

"Of course we will." He told her. And they would, the most pressing matter though was speaking to Felicity.

A.N. I do have more so I'll probably update that but not sure if I'll turn it into a longer story yet

Please review guys! Cheers


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